The association between health risk behaviors and health-related quality of life by socioeconomic status

Abstract

[한글]

[영문]The purposes of this study were to identify the prevalence of health risk behaviors among Korean adult population and to examine the relationship between health risk behaviors and health-related quality of life by socioeconomic status.Study subjects were Korean adults aged 19 and older who were identified from the third Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES) in 2005. The KNHANES provides individual-specific data for each of the 7 health risk behaviors, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measured by EQ-5D instrument, and socioeconomic status. The difference on the EQ-5D index between the groups was assessed with t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis. The proportion of smoking, BMI, sleeping and breakfast intake were desirable, alcohol consumption, physical activity and snack intake were undesirable. The prevalence of health risk behaviors had difference according to the occupational and educational level. There were positive relationships of desirable health behaviors to health-related quality of life. The overall score of health-related quality of life was higher among male, the younger, the more income, the non smoking, the moderated alcohol assumption, no physical activity, the normal BMI, the adequate sleeping and the snack intake. The analysis was statistically significant. The prevalence of health risk behaviors had difference according to the occupational and educational class. The association between health risk behaviors and QOL varied across people with different occupational and education level. The results from logistic regression analysis to check the relationship of each EQ-5D dimensions with health risk behaviors were that the undesirable had more risk than desirable in at least one or more dimensions. The health-related quality of life was related to the socioeconomic status and the health risk behaviors.

A better understanding of the factors related to the health-related quality of life would help to improve the Korean people.Moreover the study of health care service to develop effective ways to educate, manage will need to promote public health.